/!\ This is a dangerous operation! Even though the tutorial is long, please read carefully every step, every line and every single word!

Introduction

Recovery tutorial for R1 is finally here after the long wait from the R0 tutorial! Both the R1 and R0 are the most unstable Samsung mp3 players ever. Over the last year I have worked closely with R&D to correct numerous bugs, Samsung has not managed to fully fix the famous library updating bug which leads to bricking the player. Even with the latest official firmware 3.07 that may occur. In this case the only annoying solution for the user is to send back the device to the Samsung service center. Some French R1 users were lucky enough to get their players directly unbricked by me at no charge.
I have the recovery tools for most Samsung players since their release but I am not allowed by Samsung to share their internal tools. This would devastate my relationship with Samsung and I would not longer be able to produce tutorials like this.
To bypass this frustrating restriction, Lorenzo developed a modded firmware with efficient DRK (Device Rescue Kit) and Safe Mode. But these tools only work if the modded firmware has been previously installed. If a R1 gets bricked with the official firmware, there was no way for the user to unbrick it until now.

Why would I share the recovery tool now?
The R1 was released 3 years ago and none are under warranty anymore. Thus the only official solution to unbrick this device is the after-sales service center which would be expensive to their owners. I still get many unbricking requests, so I decided it's time to give you the opportunity to unbrick your R1 at home.

The R1 recovery is supposed to only work with Windows XP 32-bit but I got it to work with Windows 7 Starter 32-bit. However it won't work with any Windows 64-bit version. Given the fact that most common Windows version on modern computers is Win 7 Home Premium 64-bit, you may have to look for another PC to use this tool. My personal tests:- Windows XP 32-bit: OK- Windows 7 Starter 32-bit: OK
- Windows 7 Home Premium 32-bit: Doesn't work but I guess the issue is related to my PC. It should work.
- Windows 7 Home Premium 64-bit: Doesn't work
- Windows XP 32-bit virtualized on Windows 7 64-bit (VirtualBox): Doesn't work

Preparation

Contrary to the R0, there is no need for a special cable to unbrick the R1.

- Download the recovery tool here or in the attachment (at the end of the tutorial). Extract the archive to an easily accessible place (Desktop or Documents for example). The archive password is lebellium.

- Download the firmware you want here (modded v4.00 is recommended though) and extract the archive on your computer.

Tutorial

Windows XP (Tutorial for Win 7 is following)

1) Go to your R1UpdateTool_V1.01 folder then to windriver.

Double-click on wd_install_4NT.bat. A black CMD window appears and will then disappear, just let it install the drivers.

2) Then double-click on vc_s1_redist_x86.exe.

The following window shows up. Click on Yes. After a few seconds it should be installed. You may not get any confirmation, don't worry.

3) Connect the R1 to the computer with the USB cable. Press and hold the power/hold button. Press reset once and then release the power/hold button. The R1 enters the recovery mode: the screen remains off but you should hear the usual sound when you connect a USB device to your computer.

4) If you use the recovery tool for the first time, the computer opens the window Welcome to the found new hardware wizard. If it asks you if it should connect to Windows Update to search for software, select No, not this time.

5) When the following window shows up, select Install from a list or specific location (Advanced)

6) Select Search for the best driver in these locations and tick the box Include this location in the search. Then click on Browse and select the path R1UpdateTool_V1.01\windriver. Click on Next.

7) After a while Windows announces it managed to install the software for MX37&51T01.

8) Go to the Device Manager and check if the driver has been properly installed like on the screenshot below.

9) Double click on R1UpdateTool.exe in your recovery tool folder.

Click on Browse and select the path of the R1.ROM file in your downloaded firmware folder.
If you want to format the device, tick the box Erase Nand. All your data on the R1 will be then deleted.

NB: To be sure to successfully unbrick the device, I recommend you to tick this box. But you can also try without formatting the device and if the player still can't start, then use the DRK or Safe Mode of the modded firmware v4.00.

10) Click on Download. Then let the software working, don't touch the computer and the R1 until the recovery tool says Finished! like on the following screenshot.

11) Disconnect the R1 from the computer, press the reset hole and turn it on. It works again

12) You can check the firmware version in settings>system>about and don't forget to set it in MSC again (settings>system>PC connection).

Windows 7
(sorry for the screenshots in French, I have no Windows 7 in English)

1) Go to your R1UpdateTool_V1.01 folder then to windriver.

Right-click on wd_install_4NT.bat and select Run as administrator. A pop-up opens asking if you want to allow the following program to make changes to the computer. Click on Yes.

A black CMD window appears to install the drivers. The installation may take some time compared to Windows XP because for each driver, Windows says it can't verify the publisher of the driver software. Select Install this driver software anyway every time you get this pop-up.

2) Then double-click on vc_s1_redist_x86.exe.

The following window shows up. Click on Yes.

During the installation a pop-up shows up, asking if you want to allow VCREDI~3.EXE to make changes to the computer. Click on Yes.

3) Connect the R1 to the computer with the USB cable. Press and hold the power/hold button. Press reset once then release the power/hold button. The R1 enters the recovery mode: the screen remains off but you should hear the usual sound when you connect a USB device to your computer.

4) If you use the recovery tool for the first time, then Windows tries to install the driver software for the device SE Blank Marley searching on Windows Update. After a while it successfully installs the driver software for MX37&51TO1.

5) Go to the Device Manager and check if the driver has been properly installed like on the screenshot below.

6) Double click on R1UpdateTool.exe in your recovery tool folder.

Click on Browse and select the path of the R1.ROM file in your downloaded firmware folder.
If you want to format the device, tick the box Erase Nand. All your data on the R1 will be then deleted.

NB: To be sure to successfully unbrick the device, I recommend you to tick this box. But you can also try without formatting the device and if the player still can't start, then use the DRK or Safe Mode of the modded firmware v4.00.

7) Click on Download. Then let the software working, don't touch the computer and the R1 until the recovery tool says Finished! like on the following screenshot.

8) Disconnect the R1 from the computer, press the reset hole and turn it on. It works again

9) You can check the firmware version in settings>system>about and don't forget to set it in MSC again (settings>system>PC connection).

Notes

- If you don’t manage to get the connection working at first try don’t worry: that may occur. Disconnect the cable, press the reset hole and try the steps again!

- Sometimes the flashing process may be aborted for some reason (faulty cable for example). Also in this case keep calm. Follow the previous hint, retry every step. In case the firmware upgrade doesn’t complete (i.e. the progress bar gets stuck) you probably need to erase the entire NAND (see the instructions).